Rear brake pads wore out before fronts

[littleroot]

Total newbie stupid question:

About a year ago the pads where changed while I had a shop change tires. Recently noticed the rear were darn near to the metal so I just replaced them last night. The fronts are still at about 50% life. Is this normal? I don't think I use too much rear brake - I am never skidding the rear tire. Maybe I am applying light pressure on the rear while riding as I do more tight canyon roads more than open roads.

Any ideas?
Thanks!

 

[Adler]

How's your fuel economy?

 

[Nessism]

The brakes could be dragging due to accumulated sludge in the hydraulic system. A full system tear down, clean out, and replacement of the old rubber lines is in order unless this work has been done before.

 

[spyug]

Common enough with newer riders or anxious riders covering the brake. You are actually dragging the brake as your foot is pressing ever so slightly on the pedal. A lot like riding the clutch pedal in a car or truck with standard trannie.

You may have the brake pedal set too high such that you can't help but rest your foot on it as you ride. It should be parallel to but slightly under the level of the peg.

If you are not doing that ( i.e. riding it), then you could have a stuck piston but that usually just wears the pad on one side.

If it hasn't been done in a while it might be a good idea to pull, clean and rebuilt the caliper. As the fluid is hydroscopic, water does get in to the system and this can cause rust to build up in the piston area. The pistons are "hard" chromed but cracks and pits can develope and the rust will form on the under strata. If the rust builds up enough it can jam the piston. If you pull the pistons and find them cracked or pitted you will need to replace them as they can become a safety hazard.

I find brakes are often the least well looked after system on the bike. Fluid should be changed at a minimum of every second season and old rubber hoses should be replaced after 5 seasons or so ( but never are). Better yet, chuck them away and go with stainless steel/kevlar. As "gunge" builds up in master cylinders too, these need a cleaning and rebuilding after a few seasons as well.

Don't fool with brakes. Look after them.....you never know when you will really need them.

Cheers,
Spyug

 

[gsryder]

One thing I didnt see mentioned, you only have one rotor in the rear.....two up front.
Even if everything is in perfect working order and you use the brakes properly but say maybe use the rear a little more often then the front they will wear faster. One rotor - rear vs. two rotors - front.....try just using the front brakes for every day commuting stop and go etc. only use the rear when actually necessary......I would bet a cup of coffee they will last allot longer.

 

[Rudeman]

Common enough with newer riders or anxious riders covering the brake. You are actually dragging the brake as your foot is pressing ever so slightly on the pedal. A lot like riding the clutch pedal in a car or truck with standard trannie.

You may have the brake pedal set too high such that you can't help but rest your foot on it as you ride. It should be parallel to but slightly under the level of the peg.

If you are not doing that ( i.e. riding it), then you could have a stuck piston but that usually just wears the pad on one side.

If it hasn't been done in a while it might be a good idea to pull, clean and rebuilt the caliper. As the fluid is hydroscopic, water does get in to the system and this can cause rust to build up in the piston area. The pistons are "hard" chromed but cracks and pits can develope and the rust will form on the under strata. If the rust builds up enough it can jam the piston. If you pull the pistons and find them cracked or pitted you will need to replace them as they can become a safety hazard.

I find brakes are often the least well looked after system on the bike. Fluid should be changed at a minimum of every second season and old rubber hoses should be replaced after 5 seasons or so ( but never are). Better yet, chuck them away and go with stainless steel/kevlar. As "gunge" builds up in master cylinders too, these need a cleaning and rebuilding after a few seasons as well.

Don't fool with brakes. Look after them.....you never know when you will really need them.

Cheers,
Spyug

Make sure you set the pedal free play too. It may be applying pressure even when at rest.

 

[BassCliff]

Hi,

Maybe your rear rotor is not smooth and wears the pads faster. I don't know if you can turn these rotors or not. But I find that my rear pads wears a little faster than the fronts too. When I'm really braking, not just scrubbing off a little speed or doing parking lot maneuvers, I tend to use all my brakes at the same time. It kind of makes sense that the rear would wear more quickly since there's only one of them.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

 

[Guest]

I eat my rears 3-1 to the front.
:-\\\

 

[gsryder]

Man that sounds kinda like allot. I ride quads allot same thing two up front one in the rear if you use your rear brakes while aggresive trail riding or whatever it will chew em up fast.
I dont typically use my back brakes unless I really need to.....almost like a emergency brake. They still wear faster dont really think there is a way around it but three to one seems a tad much.

Just my $.02

 

[Guest]

Man that sounds kinda like allot. I ride quads allot same thing two up front one in the rear if you use your rear brakes while aggresive trail riding or whatever it will chew em up fast.
I dont typically use my back brakes unless I really need to.....almost like a emergency brake. They still wear faster dont really think there is a way around it but three to one seems a tad much.

Just my $.02

My old L handled like crap in the twisties but was fast as hell so I would shave speed going into corners with the rear and go like hell on the straight aways.

 

[Guest]

I use 80% front and bleed alittle air in the rear so you have to really apply the to get lock up ,wear fronts 2-3 to 1 over the rears

 

[DPage]

I'm like Chef, I change out the rear pads three times as often as the fronts. Part of if is because there is only one disk back there, plus the rear caliper has two pistons and squeezes from both sides, the front calipers only have one piston each.

 

[gsryder]

My old L handled like crap in the twisties but was fast as hell so I would shave speed going into corners with the rear and go like hell on the straight aways.

LOL!!! Well there you go........maniac

 

[duaneage]

check the pivot that goes through the frame, it should move freely and be greased once in a while.

 

[bakalorz]

I use 80% front and bleed alittle air in the rear so you have to really apply the to get lock up ,wear fronts 2-3 to 1 over the rears

I always found my rears too sensitive ... I'll have to try bleeding a little air in there ...


thanks for the idea.

 

[1980GS1000E]

I'm like Chef, I change out the rear pads three times as often as the fronts. Part of if is because there is only one disk back there, plus the rear caliper has two pistons and squeezes from both sides, the front calipers only have one piston each.

That has absolutely nothing to do with wear. The caliper is designed to slide allowing equal pressure on both pads.

Personally, I hardly ever use the rear brake on my FZ1. I have been riding 31 years and used to think the back brake was important but after having several close calls over the years I have found that unless traction is poor the front brake will stop the bike as fast as I can ever want. After all, the rear wheel has zero traction when it's in the air..

As for the GS, I will say that the traction just isn't there to lift the rear on that skinny front, but I hardly ever touch the rear anyway.